Ruining Superficial Standards

I'm the queen of deflecting compliments.  I'm a work in progress, but I currently still sit on the throne.  I think we would all classify ourselves as queen, if we were honest [or King - gender is irrelevant here].  Unless we hold the blue ribbon ultimate prize in self-confidence.  In a culture where every magazine sets the standard of "normal" at a level which is unattainable for most people, I've found that deflecting comments is the easiest way to let myself down first before someone else has the chance to.  Seriously, when all I'm thinking about is how awful I look in a picture and then someone uses the dreaded word "beautiful" to describe me, all I can think about is how that person MUST be lying.

The most ironic thing about this is that I'm a believer.  I believe I was created in the image of God.  And I believe my Father in Heaven is flawless.  Yet, I forget that every time I bash myself, I'm actually discounting how flawless I actually believe the Lord to be.  If I am his creation, formed in his image, how can I be so hateful toward myself on the daily?  I'm just being real with you guys - sorry (not sorry) if this is uncomfortable for you.

What brought this all about is what I can only explain as a weird summer.  Seriously.  This has, by far, been the weirdest summer I can remember.  Things that I set out to accomplish for good backfired, friendships that I thought were together fell back apart, and the vision I thought that I had has been challenged in every possible way.   Today marks a day where I've been praying constantly for a former co-worker who is very sick in the most rare of ways.  And as I excused myself from my desk to plead the blood of Jesus over his life in my car, I began to realize this:

I am praying and believing God for restoration on behalf of other people, but I, myself, am not fully reconciled to the goodness of Jesus.  

He's good, y'all.  It's something that I can bear and have born witness to time and time, again.  And I really do believe that with my whole heart - for other people.  But, what I've realized, is that when it comes to me, I don't know that I've been fully trusting in the goodness of Jesus.  I encourage others and cheer them on, but still go home sad that I've lived another day single, sad that I've missed the mark with a friend yet again, confused about where I'm heading, and NOT trusting that He formed me with purpose in mind.

I'm not just talking about bashing Facebook photos and wanting to be married here, I'm talking about our lives as a whole!  We have to start seeing ourselves through the filter of Jesus.  I don't know about you, but I pray for grace all the time.  For the drivers in front of me [right after I'm super ugly toward them], for the people in my life that are tough to love, and for other circumstances that seem overwhelming.  But I seldom pray for grace for myself.  I don't think twice about depreciating my value.  And the truth is that my value, YOUR value, our value was assigned by the King of all kings.  He paid the highest price for me and for you and yet I fail to see my worth on a daily basis.

If you haven't heard it yet, or maybe you haven't heard it today, let me be the one to remind you - your worth has nothing to do with what the mirror reflects back at you, your relationship status, your popularity, or your intelligence.  I know that's tough to hear, but we've replaced Jesus with superficial standards for far too long.

I believe that it's time for us to stand up and recognize that we are [only] worthy because He counts us worthy.  It's time for us to start seeing ourselves through the filter of grace.  Love that tears down walls starts with us.  You want to love people into the Kingdom?  Want to reach them in grace and show them a God who restores people?  Start with grace for yourself.

Oh, and also let me tell you - regardless of your gender, you are NOT beautiful because Facebook or Instagram says so.  You are beautiful because you are a direct reflection of the most innovative creator that has ever existed or will ever exist.

Let's get it together and stop holding ourselves to superficial standards where iPhone notifications validate our confidence and start pursuing Jesus in all of His goodness.